


Single Survivor

by professor_east



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Characters, Cute Couples, F/M, Female Friendships, Mental Breakdown, Mention of Character Death, Multi, PTSD, Polyamory, Queer Wedding, Substance Abuse, Trama Relationships, atyd, different POV, post-wizarding war, trama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29647407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/professor_east/pseuds/professor_east
Summary: This fic was inspired by the song Partners in Crime by FINNEAS. I heavily recommend listening to it, it's incredible.It is from Mary Macdonald's perspective and describes the events that she went through during the First Wizarding War. Mary struggles with her relationships and her connection to the magical world. She is reunited with the ghosts of her past nearly forty years later, while attending Harry Potter's wedding.Some details and characters are original to MsKingBean89 and their work "All The Young Dudes".
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley/Original Male Character(s), Mary Macdonald & Marlene McKinnon, Remus Lupin & Mary Macdonald, Sirius Black & Mary Macdonald
Kudos: 1





	Single Survivor

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Internalized homophobia, use of alcohol/drugs, mental breakdown, and sad character death
> 
> I do not support any of JK Rowling's transphobic, racist, or misogynistic views.

I said you look pretty

All strung out on coke

You said it's not funny

But it wasn't a joke

Mary was happy. Parties in Gryffindor Tower allowed her to be loud and outgoing, which was always fun. There was a charming Ravenclaw boy on her arm and the couple singing karaoke music was perfectly out of key in her semi-drunken haze. 

However, there was something, or someone, that brought her out of the moment. Remus was sitting cramped up on the windowsill (Mary had no idea how he could sit in there with his lanky legs) chain smoking, alone. He seemed to be spacing out into the room; at the same time nodding his head to the music. 

She leaned over to the boy hanging on her neck. “I’m gonna go to the ladies’, I’ll be back in a moment.” She smirked at him and he kissed sloppily on the corner of her mouth. 

Weaving her way between sweaty bodies, Mary finally came to the edge of the common room where Remus was brooding. A fag was dangling from his lips and his eyes were glassy. There was a empty bottle of firewhiskey on the ledge beside him.

Mary shivered as a gust of chill air blew through the open window. 

“Remus,” she said, trying to make her voice not sound pitiful. “Are you alright?”

He scowled and leaned his head back against the stone wall, casually blowing out a stream of smoke. It swirled around his head, catching the light from the few lamps still on the study tables. Even intoxicated, Remus had some sort of unique elegance and beauty, like he was the subject of a painting.

“You’re pretty,” she said before she could catch herself. “Dance with me? Please?”

Remus glanced at her quickly, a blank expression on his face. He then repositioned himself on the sill, turning away from her to stare out the window. 

Mary sighed, but realized it wasn’t worth the effort. She might as well go back to the Ravenclaw boy. 

As she walked away, though, she noticed Remus lighting another fag.

And you won't remember

But I carried you home

You sat in the shower

While I washed off your clothes

“Come on, Sirius.” 

He was completely pissed, leaning unstable against her shoulder, a bottle of firewhiskey dangling from his hand. Mary was only slightly tipsy, as she had been “chatting” with Rotherhide for most of the night. The party was winding down, with only a dozen or so seventh years drunkenly chatting by the fire or smoking out a window. A Bowie song played on the abandoned record player.

“Oi, Macdonald, where’d you come from?” Sirius smiled dopely down at her, still clinging to her neck. 

Mary felt a blush creep up her neck. Even plastered, Sirius was extremely handsome, with his piercing gray eyes and sharp jawline. 

“I’m sorry Mary” Sirius’s somber voice snapped her out of her reverie.

“It’s alright,” she replied dully, trying to guide him towards the boys dormitory. “I help Lily when she’s wasted all the time.”

“No,” he moaned. “I was a shite boyfriend, and you should hate me.”

Mary turned to look him in the eyes. His face was flushed and tears welled in his eyes. Rebel Rebel continued to play in the background, punctuated by the drunk laughter from the group around the fireplace. “I’m still your friend, Sirius. Let’s get you to James.” She was able to get him halfway up the stairwell when he broke down bawling. 

“No, he’s gonna fucking hate me! I hate me!” Sirius’s words were slurred and tears were rushing down his face. Mary thanked God they were out of the common room before this happened.

“No one hates you, love.” she sighed and petted his hair softly. Thankfully, at that moment, James rounded the corner from their dorm and pried the now hiccupping Sirius off her shoulder. 

“Fuck, Pads, I thought Moony was bad,” James threw a sympathetic look at Mary. “Sorry you had to deal with him.”

“It’s alright,” Mary said simply. “He seems really broken over something though. Said you were going to hate him for it.”

“Dunno, it’s not-” but he was interrupted by a gagging noise from Sirius. Mary quickly stepped back, not wanting sick on herself. He didn’t puke, but his face paled significantly.

“I’ll let you handle that.” James gave her a wry smile and quickly guided Sirius to their dormitory, reassuring him and rubbing his back.

Mary rolled her eyes. That man is going to one hell of a father someday. 

You said we should get out

While we still could

And I should have listened

But I misunderstood

Thought you wanted me tied down

It started to chafe

But it's easy to see now

You just wanted me safe

It was always gray nowadays. As if the weather could sense the fear that hung in the air like thick smoke, waiting to strangle your lungs. It probably could, as dementors were often spotted lurking in more muggle inhabited areas as of late.

Mary trudged down the muddy lane towards the McKinnion estate, a tight grip around the wand in her coat pocket and eyes alert. She walked up the stone steps and approached the ornate front door cautiously, withdrawing her wand and flicking it. The gold lion door knocker rose and fell with a soft thump against the dark wood. 

Only seconds later, the door opens a miniscule amount, only wide enough for a sliver of blonde hair and a hazel eye to peek through. 

“Who was the first person I kissed?” Marlene hissed.

“Kenneth Bailey,” Mary replied, her back still mostly towards the door, eyeing the perimeter of the estate. 

She heard her friend sigh in relief, quickly opening the door and pulling her inside. 

“Merlin, Mary! You fucking scared me!” Mary winced as Marlene punched her not so lightly on the shoulder. “I was just about to leave for Remus’s when you knocked on the door.” Her voice was strained and tired; her eyes wide with fear.

“Sorry I didn’t warn you I was coming,” Mary said, bluntly. Order protocols due to the war were a heavy burden and a pain for convenience, but, as Moody would say whenever someone dared to question these precautions, constant vigilance! 

“I’m just dropping off some of the pain-relieving poultice for Remus and then heading over to James’s to check up on Baby Harry.” Marlene looked at her with worry. “Did something happen?”

Mary didn’t know whether it was the caring way Marlene was looking at her, the dark purple bags under her eyes, or her question, tinged with panic, that caused her to fall to the ground sobbing. Tears rushed down her face as she gasped for breath. Arms encircled her trembling body and held her, and hand softly tracing circles on her back.

“I don’t know how much longer we can, h-how much longer I can take this, Marls.” she heaved through sobs.

“Shhh...don’t talk, just listen to my heart beating.” Mary took a shaky breath, leaning against her shoulder and cried. They both stayed like that for a while, curled on the floor, clinging to each other as if they were all the other had. Slowly her breathing evened and matched Marlene’s. Mary looked up at her best friend’s face to see silent tears running down her cheeks.

“You’re going to be a brilliant healer.” Marlene gave a wet chuckle. 

Both still sniffling, they shuffled in their socks to the kitchen. Neither of them spoke until they were both comfortably settled in armchairs with a steaming mug of tea in hand. Finally, Mary broke the silence.

“I think we should leave.” Marlene whipped her hand around to face Mary, an aghast look on her face. 

“Leave what?”

“Leave Britain. Get away from bloody Order and Death Eaters and murders every day in the Prophet. Fall asleep without worrying if you’ll wake up again.”

Marlene stared at her, and then started yelling. “Are you fucking mad?! Just pack up and sail across the bloody ocean?!” 

“Yes! Jesus, Marls, we could live for once, be safe!”

“What about our friends relying on you in the Order? You’re gonna desert Lily and James and the baby?! Or Remus and Sirius?!” She was standing up, red in the face and murder in her eyes.

“Just me being a witch puts my whole family in danger! Leaving would make them safe!”

“Not for me! Danny rips himself to every month; he would die if I weren’t here!” 

“You can’t fucking lecture me about the war. I can’t even tell my own mother why I only come home every other week covered in bruises and blood! I dream about them dying and there’s nothing I c-can do!” Mary’s voice broke as the tears filled her eyes again.

“That doesn’t give you any fucking excuse to abandon your friends.” Marlene’s face was stony. She picked up the spilled mug from the carpet and placed it on the coffee table. “I’m heading to Remus’s. You can stay if you’d like.”

She stormed out of the sitting room and slammed the front door behind her. There was a soft “pop” and she was gone.

And when the cops broke down our door

And held us both against our floor

Did we look like lovers or partners in crime?

Did you look like mine?

Or did we look like fools

Tryna get away with it all?

Mary held out for longer than she had expected. Marlene’s words had been burned so deeply into her heart that she couldn’t bear to leave with the knowledge that her dearest friend despised her. So she stayed, working closely with Marlene in the Order of the Phoenix. Soon their wounds were healed, leaving only trace scars of the argument behind. They were in a war, there was only so long you could hold a grudge.

However, everything fell apart that summer. 

She had found the bodies first, in the house, all lined up with their eyes open wide.

As soon as she saw Marlene, limp and lifeless next to Yaz, she knew she had to get out of there.

Outside, Mary clung to Remus, feeling as though he was the only thing holding her together at the moment, which he probably was. Sirius was furious. After he left, she finally let out a sob. She couldn’t do it anymore. She needed to get out, away from her friend’s dead body. Away from the house with the Dark Mark lingering over it. Away from the war.

Away.


End file.
